Shooting victim identified; paralyzed from the neck down
Posted: Sep 18, 2011 6:37 PM EDT | Updated: Nov 6, 2014 10:10 AM EDT
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The victim in Saturday afternoon's shooting as been identified as Jerome Phillips, 46.
Officers told ABC 57 News that Phillips is now paralyzed from the neck down because of the shooting.
Police are searching whoever is responsible for shooting and severely injuring Phillips on the city's West side.
The shooting happened just before 6p.m.Saturday.
Phillips is now a quadriplegic after he was shot in the back and officers now say he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
ABC 57 spoke to Phillips' nephew he says his uncle was not the intended target. Although police are still investigating the shooting, they say they also believe the man was not the target of Saturdays shooting.
Phillips was rushed to Memorial Hospital where he is listed in critical condition.
Because he is a victim of a crime his condition status was not released by hospital officials Sunday.
"As soon as we can put this thing together we are going to do everything we can to get these people off the street," says Sgt. Chuck Stokes with the South Bend Police department.
South Bend police rushed to a call that shots were fired at 3300 West Dunham Street. When police pulled up they found Phillips lying in the front yard shot in the back and surround by empty shell casings.
"The same people are going at it for some reason, and we dont what that reason is yet," says Sgt. Stokes.
Police say he was on the porch, with his back to the street when several shots were fired.
He was hit one time in the back of his shoulder, hitting his spine before becoming lodged in his lung. He was instantly paralyzed from the neck down, shocking not only his family and friends but the whole neighborhood.
"Oh they are very, very upset. I talked to one lady today who says she is mad," says Stokes.
Too upset to even go on camera, neighbors told ABC 57 that this is not the first time there has been trouble on West Dunham Street. That is why neighbors suspect the home where the shooting happened may be tied to drugs.
Police says they are looking into that new information, but did confirm this may be the first time there was a victim, but it was not the first time there has been a drive-by shooting at the home today.
"Three times we were called in the early morning hours and for our afternoon shift, this is the first time we have been called.
Police say they found 11 shell casings outside the home were the shooting took place. Witnesses told police they saw four people inside the red four-door Kia where the shoots were fired from.
We learned Sunday that shots were returned from either Phillips or someone inside the home.
Officers say they have no suspects at this time, but say they will continue to search for the vehicle described by witnesses.